


Juno Steel and The Valentine’s Day Kisses

by MrAudioDrama



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Fluff, Juno Steel Gets the Love He Deserves, Kisses, Occasional angst, Other, Platonic Love, Ref. To Sarah not being the best mom, Romantic love, feel good
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:34:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22945600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrAudioDrama/pseuds/MrAudioDrama
Summary: Every Time Juno Steel was Given a Valentine’s Day Kiss, And Each time he Returned the Favor
Relationships: Benzaiten Steel & Juno Steel, Buddy Aurinko & Juno Steel, Buddy Aurinko/Vespa, Jet Sikuliaq & Juno Steel, Juno Steel & Sasha Wire, Juno Steel & Vespa (Penumbra Podcast), Juno Steel/Sasha Wire, Mick Mercury & Juno Steel, Mick Mercury & Juno Steel & Sasha Wire, Peter Nureyev & Juno Steel, Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel, Rita & Juno Steel
Comments: 7
Kudos: 41





	Juno Steel and The Valentine’s Day Kisses

Valentine’s Day in the 21st century, a celebration of romantic love through the purchase of chocolates, flowers, and teddy bears, inevitably found itself needing to adapt. Which is why we find Benzaiten Steel, rushing down the streets in Halcyon towards the closest chocolate shop. Romantic love was fleeting, it ebbed and flowed with the economic environment of the time. Platonic love persisted, strengthening during crisis, friendships and family members were all you could rely on when things got rough.    


Benten had saved up for a  _ whole year _ just for this. Chocolate was expensive on Mars, as imports from Earth increased in price. Mommy talked about it sometimes, but he didn’t know what sank-chins were so he ignored it in favor of the new Turbo toy she’d brought home.    
  
Valentine’s Day was a bit of a relic on Mars, an old Earth tradition that no one knew too much about. Benten had heard about it from Turbo, when he went to Earth! It was so exciting, Benten has the special nearly memorized. Towns had been covered from head to toe in red heart decorations, and every time Turbo made a friend they would happily give him some chocolate and a kiss on the cheek.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” cheered the Earthlings, Benten thought it was the coolest thing he’d ever seen. He races into the chocolate shop, and finds himself immediately amazed. Chocolate covered the walls, different colors, shapes, and sizes. Benten had only ever seen chocolate on streams, it smelled  _ fantastic _ . 

He digs into his pockets, pulling out his collected creds, “E’scuse me?” he smiled, Mommy said he smile could make people do  _ anything.  _ He gets on his tiptoes to slide the money over to the cashier, “How much choc’late can I get with this?”    
  
They smile down at him, it’s barely enough for their smallest chocolate, but the kid was smiling at them like this was the only thing that mattered to him in the entire world. They could cover the rest, “What shape do you want, kiddo?”    
  
Benten’s eyes sparked with excitement, “I get to choose?” he sounded mystified. He thinks about how Juno had gone on and on about the heart decorations.    
  
“Isn’t it so  _ cool  _ Benten?” Juno had jumped off the couch, “Using hearts to symbolize love? Why d’ya think we stopped doing that?”    
  
Humanity hadn’t abandoned the use of heart symbolism, of course, too fond are we of abstraction in the face of love. Too adoring of easy explanations for complex emotions. 

Mars did not paint itself in hearts every February 14th, though, and Sarah Steel was never that enthralled by the concept of them. So even with all the knowledge contained in the minds of two four year old Steel twins, there was no way for them to know the deep history behind heart symbolism.    
  
Benten smiles wide, “You got hearts? I know they’re more Earthy than Martiany but I was just hopin-”    
  
“We have heart shapes, kid” the cashier smiles, adding a slight bit more onto the bit of the bill they were covering for the custom cut shape, “One second”    
  
Benten watches in awe as a thick, rectangular piece of chocolate is placed underneath a laser. It makes a slow procession through the shape of a heart, and then, just when he thinks it’s done, the light dims and it dances across the surface of the chocolate. 

The cashier smiles at him as they wrap the chocolate up, “Is this for someone  _ special?”  _ The implication flies straight over Benten’s head, even when they give him a wink. All Benten can think about is Juno, and how excited he’s going to be. 

“The  _ specialest _ !” He cheers, Juno was the most important person in his life. Even more important than Mommy, not that he would ever tell her that. The other kids in Halcyon were  _ nice _ , but they weren’t Juno. The most amazing twin in the whole entire world!

They ruffle his hair, and hand down his chocolate, “You’re going to make someone  _ very happy _ ” Benten beams, holding the piece of chocolate in his hands as if it was pure Earthen Gold. Juno was going to be so happy!

“Thank you Mx. Cashier!” He turns and bolts out of the store, turning back only to wave goodbye. The wind rushes past his ears as he races through the streets, he’s got the chocolate lightly held between two fingers. It is more precious to him at this moment than anything ever has been before, yet his excitement will not allow him to slow. 

Mommy always said that Juno was his other half, that they had to be there for each other when she couldn’t. “It’s a tough world out there, my little monsters” she’d ruffled their hair, “You’re all the other has, remember that”

So Benten had, making a silent note of Mommy’s implication, “You two are all I have”. Benten was never going to forget that Juno was the most important person in his life, that he loved Juno with his entire being. Benten wasn’t sure he understood love, at least not the kind that he and Juno see when they sneak out of bed and watch Mommy’s streams from the staircase, but he knows that he loves Juno. That he might never love  _ anyone  _ this much. 

He’s had a lot of experiences, you know. He’s already four! That’s almost a full hand! It takes him a whole five minutes to get back to the apartment where Mommy is pacing anxiously around in the kitchen, “Benzaiten!” She kneels down and holds out her arms for a hug, “Benten, sweetheart, where were you! Mommy was so worried!”

He slips the chocolate into his jacket pocket and tumbles into her hug, “Hadta go get somethin!” She squeezes him close to her, so close that he fears she’ll smoosh the chocolate, and maybe collapse his lungs. 

“All by yourself? Benten you’re too young to go out on your own!” He lets out a wheeze of acknowledgement but she’s squeezing too tight! Mommy always squeezed too tight, and grabbed too hard, and spoke too loud. She just loves them too much, she says. 

Eventually she releases, and he sucks in a breath, “Mommy!” He whines, “Too tight”

She smiles sheepishly, “I’m sorry, little monster. I was just really worried. I could’ve gone with you! They cut my hours at work” she lets out a tight laugh, “So I have more time to be with you and Juno!” She pokes his nose. 

“Nuh uh! Had to go by ‘self! ‘S Valen... Valenty..” 

“Valentine’s Day?” Benten jumps excitedly, Mommy was so smart! She knew  _ everything!  _

“Yeah! That! Hadta get gift!” He twirls around, removing the chocolate from his pocket. He doesn’t want it to melt! “Mommy,” he looks from the kitchen to the living room, “Where Juno?” 

Mommy looks sideways for a second, before she smiles and tickles his stomach, “He’s in his room, kiddo” Benten loves the way Mommy laughs at his giggles. He kisses her on the cheek and zooms away.

“Juno!” He shouts, bursting into their room. Juno is curled up on his bed, sniffling and crushing a Turbo plush to his chest. 

“Benten!” He shoots up, “I was- I was  _ worried!  _ Don- Don’t run away!” Ben opens his arms as Juno hops off his bed and jumps into Benten arms, “I missed you”

“Sorry!” Benten giggles, “Love you!”

“Love you too” Juno rests his head on Benten’s shoulder. Mommy had been so scared! Juno had been so scared! But Benten was already four! All the other halcyon kids could go out on their own.

Juno pulls away from the hug after a while, “Where’d ya go?” He wipes his eyes, Benten felt a little bad... Juno was never supposed to cry! Juno’s smile was Benten’s favorite thing about Juno! It always made him feel better. 

Benten opens his fist to reveal the delicately wrapped chocolate heart, “Happy Val-en-tynes Day!” He smiles wide and pushes forward to press a kiss to Juno’s cheek.

“Valen.. Tha’s Choc’late?” Juno’s mouth fell open slightly, “They have choc’late on Mars?”

Juno’s hand raises to touch where Benten had kissed his cheek, “Yeah! For you!” He presses the chocolate into Juno’s hand, “Issa Heart!”

Benten watches excitedly as Juno slowly moves his hand from his cheek to the chocolate, lightly as if it might disappear if he touches it with too much intent, his eyes move up to meet Benten’s, “Share”

“What?” Juno’s eyes stayed trained on his brother, because for every bit that Benten loved Juno, Juno loved Benten just the same. 

“Share!” He insisted, unwrapping the chocolate and revealing the light engraved design. The twins both made a soft ‘oo’, “Love you, wanna share”

Benten smiles, “Okay! I’ll get Mommy ta cut it in half!” He’s overjoyed, running out of the room too fast to notice the way Juno’s hand went back up to his cheek. 

Juno thinks he might make a tradition out of celebrating Valentine’s Day.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at monster-smoochin-monday <3


End file.
